Leeds Rhinos reaction: Smith upset at 'huge decision' in loss to Huddersfield Giants

Smith insisted Rhinos were “the better team for more of the game than the other team” but accepted his men didn’t play well enough for long enough as they twice squandered a 12-point lead in their fourth successive defeat at AMT Headingley. Rhinos led 12-2 at half-time and were “clearly the stronger team” in the opening 40, according to Smith, but he felt the loss of winger David Fusitu’a (knee) and centre Harry Newman (back) was a major blow.

Having seen Giants level at 12-12 soon after the break, Rhinos scored two quick-fire tries to make it 24-12 and the coach said that was “a fair reflection of the game at that point”. But Giants again rallied to level the scores and then went in front through a penalty goal after Lachie Miller’s goal line drop out failed to go 10 metres.

Smith felt Leeds should have had a penalty, rather than been kicking from behind their own line. He said: “At 24-all another huge call goes against us. When a player lends weight behind the ball carrier, that’s held. But it wasn’t and it led to a drop out – we should have kicked it long there, but we shouldn’t have had to kick a drop out.”

The coach accepted it “wasn’t the right time” for a short kick. He said: “It’s an all-or-nothing play and it didn’t need to be at that point in time. But I think it’s an incorrect call that leads to that.”

Huddersfield added another touchdown after that, when a pass by Leeds’ Cameron Smith came off Kevin Naiqama and was picked up by Adam Clune who raced in from 70 metres. Referee Chris Kendall awarded the try without asking for video assistant Marcus Griffith’s help.

“I haven’t watched the replays of the final try,” Smith said. “But I have had half a dozen people tell me they think Naiqama bobbled the ball. Whether he did or he didn’t, surely that’s the exact reason the video ref is there.”

Leeds were also hindered by the loss of winger David Fusitu’a (knee) and centre Harry Newman (back) to injury early in the second half. Smith added: “I thought we were the better team for more of the game than the other team, but the period where they were good they were certainly good, against some disjointed combinations on the edge.

"Our edge defence in the first half was particularly good, then making a bunch of changes and some shifts there, due to injuries, certainly made it harder for us. I thought there was a lot to like, but obviously it’s a hard one to take and there’s a lot of very disappointed people.”